Rumination (psychology)

Rumination is the sustained focus on and repetition of negative thoughts and emotions. There are various psychological models of rumination, which focus on different aspects: negative emotions and/or the circumstances surrounding that emotion; discrepancies between one's current and desired status; and the negative themes of uncontrollability and harm in metacognitions.

Rumination is a mechanism that develops and sustains psychopathological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and other mental states. Multiple tools exist to measure ruminative thoughts. Treatments specifically addressing ruminative thought patterns are still in the early stages of development.